1. Technical Field
This invention relates to the field of animal restraints. More specifically, the invention relates to a tie-out system.
2. Background Art
Generally, animal tie-outs, such as for a horse, have previously been provided. Some of these conventional tie-outs have been attached to trailers. However, conventional tie-outs have certain drawbacks.
Conventional tie-outs are rigid and permanent restraints. Accordingly, when an attached animal pulls against these restraints, conventional tie-outs are subject to bending breaks, the trailer, the tie-out, the animal, and/or a rider, if near by, may be damaged or injured. Furthermore, conventional tie-outs cannot be used on all trailers due to obstructing trailer doors, windows, awning structures, and rain gutters for example. Even if conventional tie-outs could be mounted to trailers or other structures, they are permanently attached. Thus, for example, conventional tie-outs cannot be removed from trailers while traveling, or detached and transferred to another trailer, building, or structure.
Conventional tie-outs are also fixed restraints. That is, once mounted to a trailer or other structure for example, conventional tie-outs are not configured to adjust/rotate. Thus, for example, if conventional tie-outs are trailer-mounted, operators cannot rotate protruding tie-outs flush against trailer sides to store them attached to the trailer while traveling. Furthermore, operators cannot adjust/rotate the position of conventional tie-outs to accommodate multiple tie-outs and animals on a side of a trailer or to just have tie-outs protrude from trailer sides at any angle other than perpendicular for example.
Accordingly, what is needed is a tie-out system that overcomes the bending/breaking, trailer incompatibility, non-detachability, and non-rotatability drawbacks of conventional, permanent, structurally rigid, fixed tie-outs.
The invention solves these problems through a flexible, rotatable, removably detachable tie-out system. In one embodiment of the invention, a tie-out system may include a base configured to couple to a structure. Coupled to the base is a receiver configured to removably and rotatingly receive a connector. The connector is configured to rotate within the receiver and to removably couple the receiver to a tie-out, the connector comprising a lower portion and an upper portion, the lower portion removably and rotatingly coupled within the receiver. The connector is coupled to a tie-out that includes a flexible portion. The tie-out is configured to restrain an animal attached thereto, and the tie-out is coupled to the upper portion of the connector and comprises a flexible portion.
In another embodiment of the invention, a tie-out system for use with a trailer includes a channeled base configured to couple to the trailer, the channeled base comprising a base portion having opposing sides extending outwardly and substantially perpendicular therefrom. Coupled to the channeled base is an annularly cylindrical receiver configured to removably and rotatingly receive a connector. The connector is configured to rotate within the receiver and to removably couple the receiver to a tie-out, the connector comprising a cylindrical lower portion and an upper partially obround portion, the lower portion removably and rotatingly coupled within the receiver. The tie-out is configured to restrain an animal attached thereto, the tie-out comprising a flexible portion. The flexible portion comprises a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion coupled to the upper portion of the connector. In addition, the flexible portion has a quiescent state and a flexed state, whereby the application of a predetermined amount of pressure on the flexible portion will move the flexible portion from its quiescent state to its flexed state, the flexible portion configured to return to its quiescent state as the predetermined amount of pressure lessens to an amount below the predetermined amount of pressure.
In still another embodiment of the invention, a tie-out system for use with a trailer includes a channeled base configured to couple to the trailer, the channeled base comprising a base portion having opposing sides extending outwardly and substantially perpendicular therefrom, the base portion comprising a pair of opposing apertures configured to receive therethrough a pair of bolts so as to couple the tie-out system to the trailer, and the opposing sides each comprising beveled corner portions configured to provide clearance for the flexible portion as the connector rotates in the receiver. Coupled the opposing sides of the channeled base is an annularly cylindrical receiver configured to removably and rotatingly receive a connector. The connector is configured to rotate within the receiver and to removably couple the receiver to a tie-out, the connector comprising a cylindrical lower portion and a partially obround upper portion comprising at least one face thereon. The lower portion is removably and rotatingly coupled within the receiver. The receiver and the lower portion of the connector each comprise aligning apertures configured to removably receive a securing pin to removably couple the lower portion of the connector within the receiver. The tie-out is configured to restrain an animal attached thereto, the tie-out comprising a rigid portion with a first end portion and a second end portion and comprising a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion of the flexible portion is coupled to the at least one face of the upper portion of the connector and the second end portion of the flexible portion is coupled to the first end portion of the rigid portion.
Some advantages of this invention may be that the partially flexible tie-out absorbs the pulls and tugs of a horse or other animal. Furthermore, the damping ability of the partially flexible tie-out prevents damage to a trailer, the tie-out, and the animal. Moreover, the partially flexible tie-out allows for substantially universal motion of itself as a horse or other animal pulls and tugs.
Other advantages of the invention may be that the tie-out system may be mounted easily for set-up, adjustment, storage, and the like on horse trailers or other structures. Furthermore, if the invention is trailer-mounted, it may be rotated and stored attached to the trailer while traveling, or removed from the trailer and stored separately while traveling. Moreover, the invention""s detachability allows it to be used on virtually any trailer, building, or structure, and by having additional bases and receivers mounted where convenient, a detached tie-out may be moved to multiple sites on the trailer or to a building or other structure as the need arises.